“Kisumu for me,” said Bob, “and the Kavirondo region. If big game is to be found there, especially. I want to bag at least one lion on this trip. And so far we haven’t encountered one.”
“And I want an elephant,” said Jack.
Niellsen laughed. “I want to shoot lions and elephants, too,” he said. “But with the camera.”
“Looks as if I were outvoted,” said Frank, mopping his sticky face, for the heat of the day still persisted.
Mr. Hampton regarded him sympathetically. “Don’t worry. Frank,” he said. “We’ll get into mountainous country up there, and, in fact, we’ll be out of these Kikuyu plains pretty quickly. That range of hills ahead form the outposts of the mountains of which Kenya is the tallest peak, unless I’m much mistaken. We’ll be into them by tomorrow. And then, even though the weather will continue hot, yet it won’t be the muggy heat of these lowlands.”
The next morning, accordingly, camp was struck and the expedition set out for Kisumu, which was reached after a week of uneventful travel. From their first day after crossing the river, they entered a populous region. Villages became numerous.
Anxious to reach the Kavirondo country, after first stopping at Kisumu for a renewal of supplies, Mr. Hampton did not loiter on the way. And as Niellsen and the boys found little either of topography or animal life to make interesting pictures, the party pushed on steadily without any of the customary side expeditions for the purpose of obtaining pictures of animal life.
Kisumu proved to be a surprise, being far from the traditional picture of African town, what with its business buildings of European architecture and its comfortable bungalows where European residents dwelt. One of the lake steamers was in the town and the boys sought and obtained permission to board it for inspection. They were surprised to find it a modern, though small, craft, with comfortable cabins, well-appointed saloons, and electric lights.
“Not much like the Africa we’ve been through,” said Mr. Hampton, “and even less like the Africa into which we soon will plunge. But, then, you fellows must remember that this is a point on the main travel artery, as the railroad from the distant coast connects here with the boats to carry travellers across the lake and to the northern railroad line. Not far from here, I am told, we’ll find the country wild enough, and the people far more primitive than the Kikuyus of the plains.”
In the several days spent at Kisumu, while Mr. Hampton was busy restocking for their further journey, the boys knocked about the little town and at the Club to which a friend of Mr. Hampton’s living down country in Nairobi had given them cards for use in case they came this way, they made the acquaintance of an Englishman who told them a good deal about the great lake sparkling beyond the town. He was in Kisumu to convalesce from an attack of jungle fever, and quite willing to wile away the slow hours with conversation.